By Chris Brown

Nov. 1 to Jan. 1

Bonding Bingo to build social-emotional connections

Nov 7, 2021 | 11:13 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Shouts of “Bingo!” will be like music to the ears of Christina Johnston until the end of the year.

Johnston is the executive director of Sanare Centre, which launched its second Bonding Bingo program on Nov. 1.

She says bonding bingo is a fun activity for families and their children to bond and build social-emotional development. Public health restrictions that have limited gatherings and activities have negatively impacted social-emotional development during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Research has shown that children have lost approximately one year of social-emotional development because of lockdowns. Because they haven’t been able to socialize, be with other kids and be with people,” says Johnston. “We’re going to focus on the bonding, we’re going to give you great things to with your family but we’re also going to help you build the skills with your children to increase their social-emotional development.”

Families sign up for Bonding Bingo at sanarecentre.ca. They will be sent an email three times a week that involves an activity and a social-emotional tip of the day. Additional tips will be shared via Sanare’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.

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Johnston says activities include something based around Random Acts of Kindness, self-care time for parents and other surprises to come.

“We thought let’s give families so they don’t have to think about activities that not only keep the children engaged but build that family bond and attachment and build social-emotional development,” Johnston says.

“We do believe that parents are really the primary educators of their children so if we’re building programs and we can support parents to support their children, it’s just a beautiful thing.”

Sanare Centre is formerly the Southeastern Alberta Sexual Assault Response Committee (SARC).

Bonding Bingo will run until Jan. 1, 2022.